Chapter 33 - Light and

Illumination
A PowerPoint Presentation by
Paul E. Tippens, Professor of Physics
Southern Polytechnic State University

2007
Objectives: After completing this
module, you should be able to:
Define light, discuss its properties, and give
the range of wavelengths for visible spectrum.
Apply the relationship between frequencies
and wavelengths for optical waves.
Define and apply the concepts of luminous
flux, luminous intensity, and illumination.
Solve problems similar to those presented in
this module.
 A Beginning Definition
All objects are emitting
and absorbing EM radia-
tion. Consider a poker
placed in a fire.
As heating occurs, the 1
emitted EM waves have 2
higher energy and 3
eventually become visible. 4
First red . . . then white.
Light may be defined as electromagnetic radiation
that is capable of affecting the sense of sight.
 Electromagnetic Waves
Wave Properties:
E
1. Waves travel at the
speed of light c.
B c
3 x 108 m/s 2. Perpendicular electric
and magnetic fields.
Electric E 3. Require no medium
Magnetic B for propagation.

For a complete review of the electromagnetic

properties, you should study module 32C.
 The Wavelengths of Light
The electromagnetic spectrum spreads over a
tremendous range of frequencies or wavelengths.
The wavelength l is related to the frequency f:

c = fl c = 3 x 108 m/s

Those EM waves that are visible (light) have wave-

lengths that range from 0.00004 to 0.00007 cm.

Red, l Violet, l
0.00007 cm 0.00004 cm
Frequency wavelength
f (Hz) l ( nm)
The EM Spectrum
1024 A wavelength of one
1023 10-7
1022 Gamma rays 10-6 nanometer 1 nm is:
1021 10-4
1020
1019
10-3
10-1
1 nm = 1 x 10-9 m
1018 1
1017 X-rays 10
1016
1015
Ultraviolet 102
103
Visible Spectrum
1014
1013 Infrared rays
104 400 nm 700 nm
105
1012 106
1011 107
1010 Short Radio 108 Red 700 nm Violet 400 nm
109 waves 109
108 1010
107 Broadcast Radio 1011
106
105 Long Radio
1012 c = fl c = 3 x 108 m/s
1013
104 waves
Example 1. Light from a Helium-Neon laser
has a wavelength of 632 nm. What is the
frequency of this wave?

The Helium Neon Laser Wavelength

Laser l = 632 nm

c3 x 108 m/s
c fl f
l 632 x 10-9 m

f = 4.75 x 1014 Hz Red light

 Properties of Light
Any study of the nature of light must
explain the following observed properties:

Rectilinear propagation: Light travels in

straight lines.
Reflection: Light striking a smooth surface
turns back into the original medium.
Refraction: Light bends when entering a
transparent medium.
 The Nature of Light
Physicists have studied light for centuries, finding
that it sometimes behaves as a particle and
sometimes as a wave. Actually, both are correct!

Reflection and
rectilinear propagation Dispersion of white
(straight line path) light into colors.
 Photons and Light Rays
Light may be thought of as little bundles of waves
emitted in discrete packets called photons.

photons

The wave treatment uses rays to show

the direction of advancing wave fronts.
Light rays are
Light convenient for
ray describing how
light behaves.
 Light Rays and Shadows
A geometric analysis may be made of shadows
by tracing light rays from a point light source:

shadow
Point
source
screen

The dimensions of the shadow can be found

by using geometry and known distances.
Example 2: The diameter of the ball is 4 cm
and it is located 20 cm from the point light
source. If the screen is 80 cm from the
source, what is the diameter of the shadow?

h 4 cm The ratio of
shadow to
80 cm 20 cm
the source
4 cm h is same as
that of ball
20 cm
to source.
80 cm
Therefore:

(4 cm)(80 cm)
h h = 16 cm
20 cm
Shadows of Extended Objects
penumbra

Extended
source

umbra

The
The umbra
umbra is the
is the region
region where
where no light
no light reaches
the reaches
screen. the screen.
The penumbra is the outer area where
only part of the light reaches the screen.
 The Sensitivity Curve
Human eyes are not
Sensitivity curve
equally sensitive to 555 nm
all colors.

Sensitivity
Eyes are most sensi-
400 nm
tive in the mid-range 700 nm
near l = 555 nm.
Wavelength l

Yellow light appears brighter to

the eye than does red light.
40 W 40 W
 Luminous Flux
Luminous flux is the portion of total radiant power
that is capable of affecting the sense of sight.

Typically only about 10%

of the power (flux) emitted
from a light bulb falls in
the visible region.

The unit for luminous flux is the lumen which

will be given a quantitative definition later.
 A Solid Angle: Steradians
Working with luminous flux requires the use of a
solid angle measure called the steradian (sr).

A solid angle of one

steradian (1 sr) is R A
subtended at the
center of a sphere W
by an area A equal
to the square of its The A
W 2
radius ( R2 ). Steradian R
Example 3. What solid angle is subtended at
the center of a sphere by an area of 1.6 m2?
The radius of the sphere is 5 m.

R A
A
W 2
5m R
1.6 m2
2
W 1.60 m
W 2
(5.00 m)
The A
W 2
Steradian R W = 0.00640 sr
 The Lumen as a Unit of Flux
One lumen (lm) is the luminous flux emitted from
a 1/60 cm2 opening in a standard source and
included in a solid angle of one steradian (1 sr).
In practice, sources of light are usually rated
by comparison to a commercially prepared
standard light source.

A typical 100-W incandescent

light bulb emits a total radiant
power of about 1750 lm. This is
for light emitted in all directions.
 The Lumen in Power Units
Recalling that luminous flux is really radiant
power allows us to define the lumen as follows:

One lumen is equal to 1/680 W of yellow-

green light of wavelength 555 nm.

A disadvantage of this Sensitivity curve

approach is the need to
refer to sensitivity curves
to determine the flux for
different colors of light. Wavelength l
 Luminous Intensity
The luminous intensity I for a light source
is the luminous flux per unit solid angle.

Luminous intensity:
W F F
I I
W W
Unit is the candela (cd)

A source having an intensity of one candela

emits a flux of one lumen per steradian.
 Total flux for Isotropic Source
An isotropic source emits in W = 4p sr
all directions; i.e., over a
solid angle of 4p steradians.
Thus, for such F F
a source, the I
intensity is: W 4p
Total flux: F = 4pI

The flux confined to area A is: W R

3m
F=IA
 Example 4. A 30 cd spotlight is located 3 m
above a table. The beam is focused on a surface
area of 0.4 m2. Find the intensity of the beam.
Total flux: F = 4pI

FT = 4p(30 cd) = 377 lm W R

3m
The luminous intensity of
the beam depends on W.
A 0.4 m2
W 2 2
; W 0.0444 sr Beam Intensity:
R (3 m)
F 754 lm I = 8490 cd
I
W 0.0444 sr
 Illumination of a Surface
The illumination E of a surface A is defined as
the luminous flux per unit area (F/A) in lumens
per square meter which is renamed a lux (lx).

An illumination of one lux

Illumination, E
occurs when a flux of one
lumen falls on an area of
one square meter. W
R

F
E Unit: lux (lx) Area A
A
Illumination Based on Intensity
The illumination E of a surface is directly
proportional to the intensity I and inversely
proportional to the square of the distance R.

F F
E ; I ; F IW W
A W R
IW A
E but W 2 so that
A R Area A
I This equation applies for
Illumination, E 2
R perpendicular surfaces.
Example 5. A 400-cd light is located 2.4 m
from a tabletop of area 1.2 m2. What is the
illumination and what flux F falls on the table?

I 400 cd
E 2 W
R (2.40 m) 2
R

Illumination: E = 69.4 lx

Now, recalling that E = F/A, we find F from:

F = EA = (69.4 lx)(1.20 m2) F = 93.3 lm

The Inverse Square Relationship
I E/9
E 2
R E/4 9 m2
E 4 m2
1 m2 3m
2m
1m

If the intensity is 36 lx at 1 m, it will

be 9 lx at 2 m and only 4 lx at 3 m.
 Summary
Light may be defined as electromagnetic radiation
that is capable of affecting the sense of sight.

General Properties of Light:

Rectilinear propagation
Reflection
c = fl c = 3 x 108 m/s
Refraction

Red, l Violet, l
700 nm 400 nm
 Summary (Continued)
The formation of shadows:
penumbra

Extended
source

umbra

Luminous flux is the portion of total radiant power

that is capable of affecting the sense of sight.
 Summary (Continued)
Luminous intensity:
R A F
I
W W
A Unit is the candela (cd)
The
W 2
Steradian R
F
Total flux: F = 4pI E Unit: lux (lx)
A
 Summary (Cont.)
I
Illumination, E 2 Illumination, E
R

E/9
W
R
9 m2 E/4
4 m2 E
1 m2
3m Area A
2m
1m
CONCLUSION: Chapter 33
Light and Illumination